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Al'Lan Mandragoran
| nationality=Malkier | title=Lord of the Seven Towers, Dai Shan, Uncrowned King of Malkier, Aan'allein | occupation=Warder | gender=Male | height=1 span, 5 inches | weight=Muscular | hair=Dark, graying | eyes=Blue | status=Alive | appeared= | lastappeared= | living=tom }} '''Al'Lan Mandragoran', (pronounced: AHL'LAN man-dra-GOR-an) known commonly as Lan, is also known as Lord of the Seven towers, Lord of the Lakes, True Blade of Malkier, May He Sever the Shadow, Dai Shan, and known to the Aiel as Aan'allein. He is the uncrowned king and only survivor of the royal line of the fallen kingdom of Malkier. He is a Warder initially bonded to Moiraine Sedai, with the bond passing to Myrelle Sedai upon Moiraine's apparent death. He was later sent to Nynaeve al'Meara, whom he marries. Nynaeve subsequently acquires Lan's bond from Myrelle, and he is currently bonded to Nynaeve. Appearance Lan is often described as having a face of stone and chilling blue eyes. He is very tall with shoulder length hair greying at the temples, held by a leather headband called a hadori. He wears the color-shifting Warder cloak, and uses a sword as a weapon. Youth Lan was born in 953 NE, the year Malkier was betrayed to the Shadow. When he was an infant and Malkier was falling, his parents, al'Akir and el'Leanna Mandragoran, placed the sword of the Malkieri kings in his hands. They named him Dai Shan, Diademed Battle Lord of the Malkieri, and swore the ancient oath of Malkieri kings and queens in his name. His mother placed a locket around his neck for remembrance and twenty of Malkier's best swordsmen carried him to Fal Moran in Shienar. Only five reached the city, with all sustaining wounds. The survivors tutored Lan in Malkieri heritage, the Blight, and combat. When Lan was fifteen, Edeyn Arrel made herself his carneira, or first love. After their first night in bed, she cut Lan's hair to his shoulders and kept a lock of it, called a daori. Unknown to Lan, she intended to use the daori to compel Lan to marry her daughter Iselle Arrel. Edeyn would later raise the Golden Crane for Lan and began raising an army of Borderlanders for him. At age sixteen Lan was given the hadori, a thin strip of braided leather holding his hair back, and named a man. He began his one man war against the Shadow to avenge his lost kingdom. The Malkieri oath defined his ongoing quest: To stand against the Shadow so long as iron is hard and stone abides. To defend the Malkieri while one drop of blood remains. To avenge what cannot be defended. At some point Elyas Machera teaches Lan much about the Blight and about using the sword. Activities Moiraine and Nynaeve Lan met Moiraine Sedai in Kandor while searching for the Dragon Reborn after the Aiel War. After Moiraine Sedai was caught following his party, Lan threw Moiraine into a nearby pond, and she retaliated by using the One Power to soak him in turn. After battling the Black Ajah alongside Moiraine, and losing his friend Bukama Marenellin, he became her warder in 979 NE. Twenty years later, Moiraine and Lan are in the Two Rivers seeking the young man who is the Dragon Reborn. They find Rand al'Thor, Matrim Cauthon and Perrin Aybara, all of whom are [[ta'veren]]. Shortly after their arrival, Trollocs attack the Two Rivers, and the group is forced to flee. Nynaeve al'Meara follows the group to take return them to the Two Rivers, and meets Lan for the first time. Nynaeve is smitten almost immediately with Lan, while he is impressed with her skill in tracking. Eventually, as Nynaeve reveals her feelings to Lan, he refuses to pursue their relationship because of his personal war with the Shadow. He gives her his Golden Crane signet ring, which she wears around her neck at all times. Once in Tear, he is willing to break his bond and oath to Moiraine Sedai to protect Nynaeve after her decision to visit Tanchico and investigate the Black Ajah. Nynaeve refuses to allow him to break his oaths to be with her, and orders him to stay with Moiraine. In Cairhien, Moiraine battled Lanfear at the docks, and pulled the Forsaken through the twisted redstone doorframe. As they were both channeling large amounts of saidar, the doorway was destroyed completely, and both were presumed dead. Lan's warder bond transfered to Myrelle Berengari, the woman Moiraine had arranged to pass his bond to in the event of her death. He asks Rand to tell Nynaeve to forget him before riding off to Salidar. . When Egwene discovers him in Salidar, she sends him to Ebou Dar to protect Nynaeve , who he rescues from drowning. Shortly afterward, they are married by the Sea Folk Mistress of the Ships. As a result, they adopt the Sea Folk custom that swap their roles in private. Later, on the way to Caemlyn, Lan discovers the murder scene of both Adeleas Namelle and Ispan Shefar. Once they arrive in Caemlyn, Nynaeve's captive sul'dam and damane are placed into the Kin's care. When Reanne Corly tells Nynaeve and Elayne that three damane are ready to be freed of captivity, it is Lan who reminds them that they must ethically free them. Far Madding When Rand goes to enlist Nynaeve to help cleanse saidin, Lan is balanced to attack Rand and doesn't quite trust him any more. They then go to Far Madding together to kill the renegade Asha'man; Cadsuane, Verin, Min and some others, follow them. Rand receives an anonymous note (from Padan Fain) giving him the location of the final two renegades. Rand and Lan walk knowingly into the trap. Lan battles Toram Riatin a fellow blademaster while Rand battles Fain. Lan defeats his opponent and flees across the rooftops, until slipping off. Rand attempted to save him, but ended up falling as well. They end up only unconscious, and in the Far Madding jail. Cadsuane rescues them and they depart Far Madding for Shadar Logoth. There, Nynaeve and Rand cleanse saidin together using the Choedan Kal. Lan patrols the hill around Nynaeve during the Battle near Shadar Logoth. He accompanies Rand and Nynaeve to Algarin Pendaloan's house in Tear, where Rand recovers after cleansing saidin. While there, he practices sword play in the courtyard with other Warders. He repeatedly defeats Jahar Narishma with no difficulty. To Tarwin's Gap .]] Lan informs Nynaeve that it is time for him to leave her and Rand and ride for Tarwin's Gap. She promises to take him straight to the Blight, rather than having to travel by horseback the whole way, as long as he swears to accept any man that wishes to accompany him. Nynaeve deposits him in Saldaea, the farthest point from Tarwin's Gap that is still touching the Blight. Viewings *Seven ruined Towers are seen around his head. Refers to the seven broken towers of the Malkieri kingdom. *A baby in a cradle holding a sword. Thought to refer to Lan's past, save for the fact that Min's viewings refer to the present or future. The sword is made with the One Power and comes from the Age of Legends. Notes Category:Royalty Category:Blademasters Category:Warders